Dragged
by Gett
Summary: Dean is 15 and Sam is 11 and they are at Bobbys recovering from the latest hunt when Dean gets attacked then goes missing while out for a walk. First attempt at Teenchester.Some violence and hurt /suffering.
1. Chapter 1 Walk

**Warnings:** Violence and hurt Dean / Angst Sam

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything Supernatural related. All towns and other people are made up, any similarity to the living or dead are purely coincidental. Medical conditions are broad and not detailed.

**Setting:** Teenchesters- Dean 15- Sam 11

Chapter 1 Walk

"Damn" Dean mumbled to himself as he limped along the shoulder of the dirt road. Dean was walking one of Bobby Singers dogs, Castor, and he was limping for the very reason he was there walking Bobby's dog in the first place. A hunt he had been on with his dad and brother had gone wrong and both the Winchester boys had been injured. Of course it was meant to be an easy poltergeist exorcism, but she had decided at the last minute both the boys needed flying lessons.

Dean had been thrown against a wall as he fired his salt gun and had hurt his left hip and had been in a fair amount of pain until his eleven year old brother Sam had landed on a concrete sill splitting his head open and giving him a fair sized concussion. Deans pain was all but forgotten when he saw the blood running down his brothers face. He had immediately gone into heavy big brother mode and had Sam stitched up and with pain killers in him resting comfortably before they had even got back to the motel they were staying at. Their dad had been pleased with his repair work, at fifteen Dean could do straighter quicker stitches which caused almost no pain to the recipient but unhappy with the fact Sam had been hurt on one of his first hunts. Dean blamed himself for Sam's injury as he had been preoccupied keeping an eye on his brother, because he felt it was too early for Sam to be joining them on a hunt and had argued the point with their father but his father had overruled him with an order that Sam would have to get used to hunting sooner or later.

Now they were staying at Bobby's because Sam could not go to school with a huge great bruise and stitches on his head without drawing attention to them. It would give his concussion time to mend as well. Dean could tell Sam was still suffering by the way he was acting and Dean was in full mother hen mode waiting on his every need until Bobby and Sam , unfortunately for Dean, had both had enough and suggested rather strongly that he take a dog for a walk . It took quite a few of these strong suggestions before he finally gave Sam and Bobby some quiet time.

So here was Dean being pulled along by Bobby's dog trying to keep warm in his T shirt, over shirt and thin jacket as the late afternoon started to turn into early evening. The light dusting of show in the air made Dean wish they had been dumped at Bobby's at another time of year because he really didn't like trudging through the light snow in his worn-out boots. It was almost two weeks after Christmas, now that would have been a good time to get dumped at Bobby's because their dad had all but ignored the holiday as he normally did and Dean was left to make a miserable Sam happy with limited options. Or summer so they could swim in the lake and lay around outside, just about anything would be preferred to this. Dean frowned and kicked at the ground as he walked.

Dean had been walking for forty five minutes when he reached a trail that cut into a large hill and wound back in the general direction of Bobby's place. Dean had been here before, walking one of Bobby's dogs, when he had stayed at Bobby's when ether he or his dad had been injured. The trail ran along an old train line that had been pulled up thirty years ago and made into a pleasant walk for people and bicyclists. When Dean reached the track he turned right knowing going to the left he would eventually end up in a state forest that had a nasty reputation for people getting lost and never being found. The area that Dean was walking on went for about a mile and a half through a hill so that the track itself was in kind of a man made valley with banks on either side of about sixty feet high and very steep giving it an eerie feeling. It made the path quite dark with no natural light getting through the hills, and the track itself was quite narrow only twenty feet across and the path itself being a thin dirt and gravel worn into a track

Dean let Castor off the lead for a bit as there was no one around and the dog was well behaved even for him. The light snow on the ground made a soft crunching sound under his boots as he walked along enjoying the walk for the first time. He didn't like leaving Sam alone, the kid had a knack for getting in trouble, but Bobby was with him so he should be ok. Dean had only walked for a few minutes when he heard what he thought was motorbikes behind him. The track was specifically designed for walkers and bicyclists only; it said that on the numerous signs along the track as well as how much the fines were for not obeying. So Dean guessed the bikes were probably on the service road behind the hill, but he decided to keep and eye on Castor just the same.

Not a minute later Dean was glad he kept an eye on the dog as headlights swept around the bend toward him, so he quickly put the dog back on the lead. The bikes swept past loudly as Dean held the dog off the path as far away from the bikes as he could get which was difficult with the track being so narrow. Dean thought the riders would probably be kids out seeing how bad ass they could be by disobeying the law, but was surprised to see they were bigger than kids late teenagers early twenty's by their size and stance. None of the riders were wearing helmets by the look of it, but Dean only got a glimpse as the three bikes went around the bend and out of sight.

Dean kept Castor on the lead just in case they came back or others came along, he didn't want to injure Bobby's dog. Bobby treated his dogs as well as he treated people, so Dean knew the dog was there for his protection as well, but he still didn't want to let Bobby down. As he walked along Dean registered that the bikes had stopped up ahead and he heard raised voices as they yelled to each other to be heard above the bikes engines. After a minute or so the bikes could be heard moving off going through the gears again, getting back to speed fast. As Dean came to the steepest section of the track the noise of the bikes increased quickly and they speed back around the corner straight at Dean.

Dean quickly moved so that he was against the dirt of the steep hill away from the track getting himself between the riders and the dog, but the riders adjusted and still came at him. The first rider rode fast toward Dean and stood on his foot pegs at the last second and raised an elbow high before ramming it at Dean as he rode by using his height to follow Dean as he attempted to duck the blow. He put his arms up in front of his face but the elbow got through and meet the side of Deans head but he had pulled himself slightly out of the way at the last second and it glanced off his temple but still had him seeing stars. The second bike was right behind the first and the rider had lifted a booted foot off the pedal and kicked Dean hard in the side which winded him and he went down on his knees. He heard yelling as he tried to push up from the ground and the third rider had swung in and took advantage of Dean still being crouched bringing his boot up and crunching into the side of Dean's skull. Dean saw white light flash through his head as he struggled to stay conscious he felt blood in his mouth and fought to keep thinking as he fumbled Castors lead and unhitched it from the chain and pushed the dog up the slope trying to get the dog away from the motorbikes. It took a couple of shoves before the dog got what Dean was trying to get him to do and he yelled with what breath he had at the dog to go home and it seemed to get the idea and took off scrambling up the steep slope. Dean knew he would have not have much luck getting up the slope but he hoped the dog would get away.

Dean dropped the dogs lead with shaking hands as he felt blood gush from his nose, wetting his face. Dean scrambled to his feet as the first rider returned and used his boot to smash Dean back into the steep wall as he rode by, winding him again and making his ribs feel sore and bruised. The second rider was back and aimed his foot at Dean's face but Dean managed to twist away at the last second and was hit in the neck instead forcing the breath out of him with a hard puff and as he fought to breathe. Dean tried to brace himself for the third riders return but he realized too late that the rider was off his bike and was running at him with a tire iron. The iron was swung back above the mans head and swung toward Dean's head , he tried to duck the blow but it struck the side of his head and Dean's vision exploded in white light and his knees gave out heavily . He tried to clear his head by shaking it, and his world swam. The man who was off his bike bought the iron up again and smacked it across the back of Dean's head, and Dean didn't even get a chance to see stars he was out in an instant.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2 Missing

Warnings and disclaimers see Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Missing 

Sam was bored. Sitting at Bobby's waiting for concussion to get better and his head to heal was no fun because both Bobby and Dean treated him like a four year old and fussed over him non stop. It had been fun at first getting Dean to do all sorts of things for him like make him get candy and read books out for him but the fussing had finally got to him and he was glad for some quiet time. But now Dean had been gone two hours and he was lonely and bored already and he could always count on Dean to think of something to do. No matter what, Dean always came up with something fun to do even if he had to make something up from scratch which he often did because they had no board games or bikes or skateboards like other kids. Christmas had been hard for Dean ,Sam knew, because Dean and his Dad had been on a hunt on Christmas eve and his Dad had dropped Dean off at ten promising to be back during the next day which Sam knew was an outright lie. Their dad hated Christmas and avoided it where ever possible leaving it up to Dean to keep Sam happy, and this year he had been old enough to hustle pool for some extra money to make it one of the better Christmases Sam had ever had. Dean had managed to get Sam some books he really wanted as well as some other small things and he had already read most of the books while he was at Bobby's. Dean had even managed to get some extra food for them to eat , even a TV dinner with turkey in it and enough candy to make Sam feel sick.

Sam looked up from the TV and noticed it was dark outside and Dean hadn't yet returned. He was just about to yell out to Bobby if he had seen Dean when there was a scratch and whimper at the door. Sam opened the door cautiously to find Castor sitting on the mat wagging his tail. Sam checked the dog over to find him uninjured but quite dirty and wet on his legs and belly. Sam took the dog to the water bowl and encouraged the dog to drink then walked down the drive in the direction that Dean had headed in earlier. "Dean" Sam called several times. The there was no response and Sam was still standing looking out into the dark chewing his bottom lip when Bobby strode up behind him.  
"Where's your brother?" Bobby questioned.  
"I don't know, Bobby. Castor was at the door whining, but Deans not here."  
"His chain is still on but no lead. It's unlike Dean just to let him go. Maybe he took off on your brother. Let's get some flashlights and go find him, let him know Castor is ok. He could be worried." Bobby doubted Castor would just take off on Dean he was to well trained but he didn't want to freak Sam out. He knew the boys were very close and Sam would get upset if something happened to his brother.

Bobby grabbed a flashlight for himself and Sam and some warm coats before locking Castor away where he couldn't get out in case he had been spooked. They walked in the direction of the cycle track as it was likely Dean would go that way. As they walked they called Dean's name and swept around with the flashlights. Bobby saw some boot prints that could have been Deans but it was hard to tell with the snow falling heavier now than it had all day. As they walked along the trail Bobby saw some tracks that looked like motorbike tracks and fairly recent by the look of them and Bobby could see multiple tracks like quite a few bikes or riders mucking around doing circles and such. Bobby knew the police had launched somewhat of a crackdown on young kids riding their bikes on the track, raising the fines and giving rewards for people dobbing in offenders.

Bobby and Sam walked the track all the way back to his property calling out Dean's name as they went not seeing any more bootprints or tracks that looked recent. They entered the house, both very cold from tromping through the light snow, but with no sign of Dean Bobby was at a loss at what to do. He decided to keep Sam busy while he figured it out and sent him to look upstairs in case Dean had come home and gone up to bed. Bobby put the steaks on for dinner putting on fries and eggs to go with them while he mulled over what to do. He hoped Dean hadn't got lost somewhere because the temperature was not conducive to a night outside. Sam returned in warm dry clothes as Bobby was plating up and he left Dean's on the bench top as to not freak Sam out, but it wouldn't have mattered because the kid picked at his food glancing at Dean's plate every few seconds. Sam finally broke the silence after fifteen minutes of picking at his food "What do we do Bobby?"  
"I'm gonna go outside and check the garage and the barn, just in case Deans out there." He got up and grabbed his jacket only to have Sam standing right behind him putting on his jacket. "It's cold out Sam you should stay in".  
"You have to let me come Bobby. Dean's my brother I have to find him."  
"All right but when I say its time to come in you have to obey, you here?" He knew how stubborn Winchesters could be.

Bobby and Sam checked in Bobby's barn and garage and finishing with a tour of the junkyard itself. By the time they got back to the house they were covered in snow and quite cold. Bobby got Castor out and let him go through the junkyard to see if he could pick up Dean's scent, Bobby wasn't hopeful as the dog had not been trained to find on scent but he thought the dog might find Dean if he was lying injured and they couldn't see him because of the dark and snow. When they finally gave up and went back to the house Bobby bustled Sam upstairs for a hot shower against his protests and started a fire in the heath before changing into dry clothes himself.

Sam pounded down the stairs quite breathless after his shower to find Bobby pacing in front of the fire. Sam sat on the edge of one of the armchairs watching Bobby anxiously, knowing he would say something as soon as he was ready. After a full ten minutes Bobby turned to Sam. "I'm going to take the car out and see if I can find your brother. You will stay here and stay by the CB and let me know if he turns up. There will be no arguing!" Bobby had to raise his voice over Sam's protests "I know you want to find him Sam but one of us needs to be here, and as you are too young to drive I suggest you stay put". Bobby looked over at Sam and was sorry he did ,the kid was trying to pull the puppy dog eyes on him but he had to resist because Sam was still getting over injuries and he really did need him here in case Dean turned up while he was out looking."I'm sorry Sam ,I really am but I need you to keep an eye out for your brother here. I doubt he would still be wondering around in this weather in the dark, he must be on his way here."  
"I Know Bobby, its just hard. I feel bad because we made Dean leave because we were tired of him and now his missing. Its my fault."  
"Now listen here Sam its not your fault. We don't even know what happened to Dean, he might have just got lost. One things for sure we will find him."  
"You don't think he's mad at us, and run away?"  
"Your brother run away on you? No way Sam. He loves you to much for that. I will go find him ,stay near the radio".  
With that Bobby shrugged on a dry jacket and strode out into the night shutting the door tightly behind him.

Sam stood watching the taillights of Bobby's car disappear down the road thinking hard about his brother and where he could be. Bobby had reassured him that Dean would not take off because he was mad at him but Sam had a bad feeling about his brothers disappearance. He tried to comfort himself with the knowledge that Dean always came back to him ,he always promised. Then Sam's stomach dropped as he realised he hadn't made Dean promise to come back when he left this time.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3 Dragged

Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1

Chapter 3 Dragged

Dean came to with dirt and gravel being sprayed up into his face and his stomach dragging along the ground, dirt pouring into his jeans. It took Dean a moment to realize he was being dragged along behind one of the motorbikes by his hands, the dirt and gravel of the track scorching his arms, stomach and legs. He pushed up with his knees and was able to stagger to his feet feeling like a demented water skier but the pace of the bike was to fast and his sore hip flared with pain then he fell flat on his chest and was dragged forward again and his arms felt pulled out of the sockets. He tried again staggering to gain control of his body as he did but fell forward onto his arms and chest again, but he didn't give up forcing himself to try again and again. The only good thing about his attempts to rise to his feet was that the bike had jerked and almost thrown the rider before he gained control of the bike again. It gave Dean slight hope and he tried pushing up again the rope cutting sharply into his wrists. This time he yanked as he made his feet and was rewarded with the bike jerking and the rider over balanced and just managed to save the bike from falling on the ground as he braked to a halt.

Dean kneeled on one knee as he tried to free himself from the rope, but the rope was wound around both wrists and was difficult to loosen even when he resorted to using his teeth. He only had a few seconds before one of the rides came up behind Dean and booted him in the back as he tried to free himself and he landed hard on his hands. He could hear them laughing as the bike he was tethered to started moving off again and he felt very dizzy as he rose, his head injuries screaming for attention and he could feel swelling and blood on one side of his head and his T shirt and under shirt were wet at the shoulder. Dean was determined to stay upright this time as being dragged was to painful to endure for to long and he thought he may have a hope of getting free if he could get some slack on the rope. Dean's brain ran through all the training his father had given him but for the life of him he could not think of anything that could help him now. Even the silver knife he always carried was tucked into his boot where he could not get to it.

Dean kept his feet and ran for all he was worth, the pain in his hip doubled but he blocked it, his training being useful at last. Dean had only moments to think himself lucky that they weren't going any faster when the riders slowed slightly and then Dean saw why. They were entering the forest at the other end of the trail and the riders had to slow because there were no tracks where they were going. They were headed into the deepest darkest area of the forest in the fastest possible way.

Dean struggled to see the forest floor with it being dark now and he was soon tripping and stumbling as he ran behind the bike but that didn't stop him trying to pull back and hopefully jerk the rider off the bike or maybe snap the rope. Then the rider pulling him started swerving through the trees giving Dean something else to do, avoid smashing into a tree. He was successful for the first fifteen minutes or so then he tripped over a dark tree root and hit a tree head on. Dean saw stars but had no time to recover as he was jerked on only to stumble and hit another tree. Dean could hear the riders laughing over the loud noise of the bikes as he hit another tree and felt blood flow down his face. He straightened and stumbled on avoiding another tree then quickly closing in on another as the rope jerked on his wrists. He thought he was going to avoid the next one but as he went to veer around it one of the riders planted a boot in his back and kicked him hard into the tree, off balance his hands missed the tree and his chest hit hard and Dean felt at least one rib break. He wasn't sure how long he could keep this going even with his endurance training and his pain threshold being as high as it was due to being hurt on hunts. Dean stumbled along winded and with a stitch etching one side and broken ribs tearing into the other he had to will himself to think how to get out of this. His shoulders were in serious pain from being smashed into trees then jerked back into a stumbling run before trying to avoid another tree.

The next time he stumbled, Dean grabbed at his ankle for the blade hidden there, unsuccessful the first time he reached for it every time he stumbled which was getting harder every time he smashed into a tree. Pain and numbness took over as he fought to stay upright, his body was getting ready to give up and he would be dragged unconscious and left for dead. Dean thought of his brother waiting back at Bobby's. How could he give up with Sam still to look after? His job to look after Sammy wasn't over yet so he made one last attempt at the knife his fingers slick with blood from his wrists, slipping and almost losing it to the forest floor before gripping it at last. As he raised up again he was to late to avoid the tree the rider swerved around and he fought to stay conscious and keep hold of the knife but he managed thinking hard of Sam and his dad and how disappointed they would be Dean had let this happen to him.

They were quite deep in the forest now and the riders started to turn back the way they had come by turning in a large arc. Dean was staggering with pain and exhaustion but recognized the move and took advantage of the slackness in the rope to slash at it with the blade, thanking heaven he had sharpened the knife that morning waiting for Sam to get his lazy ass out of bed. It cut through the rope quickly and he rolled to the right down a small ditch he could just make out hoping there was nothing sharp down there, the knife slipping from his grasp. The ditch widened at the other end to where Dean had entered and he crawled quickly along the ditch and out the other end.

Once out of the ditch Dean ran as fast as he could toward the darkness of the trees. The riders came back quickly, the headlights on the bikes picking Dean out as he tried to hide among the trees, one of the riders came at him quickly and he braced himself and threw his still tied together arms out and connected with the rider's neck yanking him off the bike and dislocating his left shoulder at the same time. He hissed in pain as he moved to get away from the rider on the ground then another rider came at him fast from behind and booted him square in the back and he stumbled forward into the last rider as he came back towards him. Dean's head smacked into the handlebars as he instinctively tried to grab hold of something, his arms looped around the crossbar painfully and he was dragged again as the bike threatened to run him over. His legs slipped under the back wheel and his left foot as wedged between the wheel and the suddenly rocky ground for long enough to make Dean howl with pain as he fought to hold on. He tried to reach the brake with his tied hands but the rider raised his boot and aimed for Dean's face and on the third kick Dean couldn't hold onto the bike or consciousness any longer and he hit the ground hard as he blacked out.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4 Tracks

Disclaimer and warnings see chapter 1

Chapter 4 Tracks

Sam stayed awake as long as he could but his recent head injures were making it harder than normal to keep alert and watching for any sign of Dean or Bobby calling on the CB. Sam was snoozing lightly when Bobby returned and he leaped off the couch adrenaline pumping his heart faster as he saw the door open and Bobby step through. "I don't know Sam. No sign of him." Bobby answered Sam's unasked question. "You go up to bed. I will stay down here and keep an eye out. If there is no sign by first light we can both go out again".  
"But Bobby......"  
"No arguing Sam, I haven't called your Daddy yet you've noticed so you do as you're told and I will let you help me in the morning. If not you will be here monitoring the CB again, it's dark and too late to be arguing. All we can do if we stay up now is worry , so lets get some rest so we are fresh in" he consulted his watch "5 hours when its light." Sam didn't like it but dragged himself off to bed; worry eating at him about his brother. He couldn't have got lost, he knew the area and had good orienteering skills due to their dads training. So what had happened to him? Was he mad at Sam for the way he had tired of him and sided with Bobby and told him to go walk the dog? Did he have worse injuries than he let on from the last hunt they had been on? Because Sam had been injured Dean would have put his own injuries aside to look after his brother.

He had done it before, once when Sam had been injured in training he had lashed out and taken it out on Dean and Dean had stood and taken it knowing Sam had been hurt. Sam had limped away in pain, whining at his father for putting him through such hard physical work, ignoring Deans attempt to render first aid and finally pushing him away when he had persisted. It wasn't till later when Dean was dressing for bed that he had seen the bruises he had inflicted on his brother did he fell like a spoiled brat and a really bad brother.

He had seen Dean limping earlier today when he was helping Sam before he left to walk Castor. Surely he was ok? Sam took a long time to fall to sleep worrying about his brother and tossed and turned until at last his room began to lighten with the morning and he could get up and get dressed.

Sam ran downstairs to find Bobby asleep on the couch facing the front door; he didn't look like he had much sleep either. Sam went to the kitchen and put some toast and coffee on for a quick breakfast so they could get going and find his brother. By the time had the coffee done and the toast ready Bobby came into the room slowly yawning and adjusting his hat. Bobby turned the radio on in the kitchen hoping to get an update on the weather so they knew what they would be walking into. Bobby was unhappy to hear it had been very cold over night and it would start to snow again around noon that day. They ate in silence Bobby now as worried about Dean as Sam and knew they would have to get going early to try to find out what happened before it snowed too much. They both found themselves glancing out the window every few seconds, and Bobby noticed Sam glance at the door a few times as well. Once they had finished and shrugged on warm coats, Bobby and Sam walked the same way they had last night following where they thought Dean had walked the dog. There was no falling snow this morning and the sun was out for the moment but by the look of the sky it would be snowing again by lunchtime as predicted.

Sam walked slower than he had the previous evening looking for the faintest boot mark of Deans and the early sun had melted the snow enough to find two or three before they got to the walking track. They turned right walking slowly, seeing dog foot prints as well as a few tracks that could have been Dean's. There was no one around which was good as far as looking for tracks but bad for finding any witnesses as to what had happened. After a few minutes Bobby stopped and bent over the motor bike tracks he had seen the night before, he saw definite boot prints standing out in the middle of them. Sam came over for a look and followed the tracks up the side of the dirt wall. There were some scrape marks like someone had tried to climb the wall, but with the side of their boot? Sam examined the area closely and found paw prints going up the slope pushing dirt back down as it climbed, disturbing the snow. The dog must have climbed up the slope, but why? The tyre marks were close to where the dogs paw prints went up the slope. Chased by the bike maybe? Sam combed his hands over the turned dirt and snow where the dog had climbed and saw shiny metal. He pulled the metal out from the dirt and found the dogs lead attached to it, Castors lead. "Bobby" Sam called and showed Bobby the lead, Bobby had been trying to make out what the bike riders had been doing by tracking the tire marks.  
"Castors lead. Where was it Sam?" Sam showed Bobby where he found the lead and showed him the dogs trail going up the slope."So they scared Castor off but what happened to Dean?" Bobby was almost afraid to ask. Sam examined the ground and scraped away some snow, his breath caught in his throat and his stomach dropped when his fingers came away red. Blood. Damn he hoped it wasn't Dean's blood, but the dog wasn't injured when he had returned so it didn't look good. Sam scraped snow away in the direction the blood seemed to go, away to the left. Sam's fingers were going numb as he continued to scrape the light covering of snow as he tracked the blood. It soon got easier to track as there were drag marks now that had been covered in snow but the warmth of this morning was melting it a little now making them slightly easier to make out. But they would be missed if you weren't trained in many forms of tracking like Sam and Bobby.

The scrape marks in the soil were made more visible once the snow was scraped away. The marks were headed toward the forest at the other end of the track. Sam wanted to run but knew he had to be careful and track his brother's movements carefully. He cleared a bigger area of snow bring careful not to disturb the marks underneath, Bobby crouched beside him frowning as more snow was removed. The marks were smooth pushing away gravel and dirt, but in places there were sharp lines like the side of a boot had snagged the ground.

Sam stopped further along as he saw a longer sharper indentation in the soil, Sam gulped down a lump in his throat, Dean's belt buckle had made that mark, Sam was sure. Bobby clasped the young mans shoulder as they pieced together what had happened. After a while the marks suddenly stopped and there were different marks, scuff marks from boots and after some more searching amongst the snow, a few running boot marks. It looked like Dean had tried to gain his feet, but further along there were more drag marks. Bobby and Sam worked slowly down the track trying not to miss any boot marks or scrape marks getting very cold hands from the snow in the process. At one stage Sam could have sworn he saw a hand print but it was hard to tell as it was very hard to see in the dirt , gravel and snow. Bobby looked at Sam and saw the kid had come to the same conclusion that he had.

Dean had been attacked by the motor bike riders and dragged away.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5 Pain

Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1

Chapter 5 Pain

Dean woke in the early hours of the morning to the dead silence of the forest. The riders were gone; he had been left alone at last. All he had to do was get back to Bobby's, easier said than done. He had been unconscious for a long time he knew that, the way his throat was sore and parched and they way he felt like he had been in one position way to long. Ok, first take stock of what condition he was in, well the splitting headache he knew about without moving. He guessed the rocks he was lying on would have something to do with that or the rider's boots or the tire iron he had been hit with.

He tried moving his head to take stock and was immediately hit with dizziness and vertigo as well as doubling of his vision ,not that he could see much in the dark forest anyway. '_Not good not good not good'_ he chanted to himself as he tried to sit as still as he could and get control. He moaned as he lowered his head and lay still and tried to just _feel_ how badly he was hurt.

Ok, head killing him.

He felt wetness at the back of his head and dry crusty blood on his face and side of his head and a large lump, concussion definitely, fractured skull probably, jaw painful and swollen but he didn't think any teeth were missing. Throat sore and painful bruised maybe? Shoulders screeching with pain, dislocated? At least one .

Back sore,bruised maybe some scratches from twigs and rocks when he was dragged, he thought so.

Chest and stomach scraped, sore and stinging from being dragged ,bruised from a boot or two and one or more ribs broken.

Pants full of dirt but he hoped everything down there was ok, he knew his hip was sore from running and already had a bruise from hitting the wall a few days ago. His legs felt bruised from where the bikes wheel went over him, his thighs were wet with blood from being dragged, but his biggest worry would be his left ankle, it didn't feel good at all. It could be broken or sprained at least, it was swollen and pain was throbbing through it to match his aching head.

He was also cold because his outer coat was wet through with melted snow and the weather wasn't great so he may have exposure on top of everything else. He was shivering slightly but it was hard to tell how much was pain, how much was from the cold, he had no idea how long he had laid in the snow. There was also a fair amount of blood on his shoulder and back from his head wounds but that should dry up when he stopped bleeding. Ok so he was a mess, they had done a number on him. Ha. All the big bad monsters he battled with his dad on a weekly basis and he gets taken out by guys on motor bikes. Punks. Great, just peachy.

Dean thought hard to what his dad would tell him to do in this situation, get hold of the pain and get out of the forest as soon as he cold. Waiting for help was waiting for help that may never come. He slowly worked the rope off his wrists and spent several minutes getting hold of the pain as his dad had taught him, breathing steadily and with control. His hands were cold and not much help so he had to use his teeth to help with the concentrated on his breathing as he rolled his body slowly to the right, the pain of his shoulder hitting him hard and bright making it hard to control his breathing. Just as he thought he was in control of the pain, nausea hit him in a wave and he vomited harshly bringing new pain in his throat and chest. When he was done vomiting he slowly pushed up to his knees, and that's when he knew his left ankle was broken. The pain was startling; nothing his dad said could have ever prepared him for. He groaned as his stomach lurched and he was dry retching until his face was wet with tears. He crawled slowly and painfully to the nearest tree, and turned until his back was against it.

He was breathing heavily now, just this small effort bringing shadows to his vision as he fought for consciousness. Dean brought his right hand to his left shoulder, he pushed and felt the joint. Ok it was dislocated as he thought, all he had to do was put it back in shouldn't be a problem. '_Yeah right._' He pushed back and across hard, ok pain and lots of it but it was still out. Before he could chicken out he grit his teeth until his already aching jaw hurt even more and he pushed one more time with more effort. "Ahhhhhhhh" his yell echoed around the trees as his shoulder clunked back into joint. Dean pushed back against the tree with his right foot braced in an attempt to keep upright as his vision doubled and he became overcome with tiredness and pain, his face covered in sweat and blood. He fought hard to stay awake but the blackness around his vision took over and he fell unconscious.

Dean woke a short time later feeling disorientated; his face in dirt ,snow and pine needles. He slowly pushed himself up with his right arm back to a sitting position against the tree his left arm slack in his lap. He sat still waiting out the nausea and dizziness and fought to recognise his surroundings and control the pain sweeping through him. Once he felt slightly better, he checked his pockets slowly panting through the pain, for anything to help him get out of there. His knife was gone, lost in the pine needle and snowy ground and he didn't think he was going to ever be able to find it. He did have a small flask of holy water in his back pocket that he took everywhere he went; he drank it all in the hope of soothing his sore throat. With nothing else to help him he used the tree as a leaning post and very slowly got to his one able foot. His vision swam and threatened to take him back under but he stayed still and waited it out and it gradually pushed back the pain to a tolerable level.

He moved his head slowly looking for something to use as a crutch, he found a stick to short but thick, it would have to do. He picked it up slowly and tested his weight on the stick; it seemed it would do the job until he came up with something more suitable. He started out in the direction he thought he came into the forest but it was impossible to know which way to go the ground was too dark to find marks on the ground from the bikes and there were no stars or sun above the trees when he looked up just ugly black and green threatening clouds. It hadn't snowed since he came to after the riders had left but it looked like it might again soon.

Dean soon became more disorientated as he looked for a way out of the forest; his brain was feeling like he had dipped it in quicksand, it was so pathetically sluggish. He moved slowly with deliberate care as his ankle was glassy and sharp with pain and every time he jarred it pain shot up his leg and made him breathless. Soon it took him all his concentration to stay on his feet and he had no idea what direction he was travelling in. After a while he found a small fallen tree and sat down on the trunk to catch his breath, there was a longer stick lying next to the trunk so he slowly lowered himself to the ground against the trunk to pick it up but just as he lowered his bottom to the ground ,he jarred his left foot again and pain exploded up his leg making him cry out in pain. He had tears in his eyes as he gasped through the pain holding his leg in agony. When the darkness came to his vision this time he was in so much pain he let it overtake him without resistance.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6 Search

Warnings and disclaimers see chapter 1

Chapter 6 Search

Sam and Bobby followed the drag marks as far as the forest where they became harder to see. The bike tracks came in and out of the forest and Sam and Bobby soon found the tracks that came out and immediately saw they didn't have drag marks after them leaving them to conclude Dean was in the forest somewhere. The hunters followed the tracks as far as they could but they were soon finding it hard as the riders had ridden slower over a deep bed of pine needles and fallen branches making the tracks much harder to see, add too that the darkness of the forest the deeper they went and the light dusting of snow that had fallen after they had been here. After walking in the general direction they thought they should be heading in they soon felt they had lost the trail and walked back they way they had come.

As they walked back Sam stopped and looked back feeling frustrated with how the search was going. "Dean" he yelled loudly. Bobby stopped and watched the young man as he put his hands next to his mouth and yelled again "Dean". His voice echoed back to him through the trees and he threw his head back in anger "Dean" he screamed. Bobby was about to walk over and put his hand on Sam's shoulder when Sam suddenly moved away quickly towards a tree a few feet away. Bobby frowned and watched as Sam moved a hand over the bark of the tree. "Bobby here" he turned to look at Bobby. Bobby came over to see what had got the young man so riled up. He looked closely at the bark and saw a dark stain that looked a lot like blood. "Damn" Bobby walked to another tree in the direction they thought the bikes had been going, but there was nothing on the bark. Sam walked to another tree and yelled to Bobby.  
"More here Bobby". Bobby walked over and examined the tree, he nodded to Sam and they moved off looking for more blood to follow.

They followed the blood trail for over an hour before they found no more blood , but it was so dark here it was getting impossible to see the ground very well, let alone dark blood on dark trees. They stood calling Deans name for some time before Bobby noticed it was starting to snow again and it must be fairly heavy for it to be falling through the trees to where they were. Bobby recognised at once that the snow would make it even harder to find Dean with it threatening to cover tracks they were already having trouble finding.

With a heavy heart Bobby turned to Sam "Sam we are going to have to go get more equipment to keep searching".  
"I don't want to go, we must be so close, he could be hurt bad Bobby." Bobby sighed at Sam knowing this was going to be hard.  
"I don't want to go either Sam but we just aren't equipped to keep searching. Lots of people get lost in here every year; we need flashlights at the very least. Dean could be back at the house so we should check back before we keep searchin. Let's go back and grab some lunch and flashlights and more warm clothes, Dean wouldn't want you freezing to death while we look for him. I think I have a map of this forest somewhere as well". Sam seemed torn for a moment then looked Bobby in the eye before nodded his head and starting to walk back they way they had come.  
"Lets make it as quick as we can. We will need a compass and the first aid kit as well." Bobby was again struck by how quick Sam was at assessing the situation and knowing what was needed in just moments. He was much too young at eleven at knowing this kind of thing.

Dean came to with a burning sensation on his stomach and now feeling a lot colder than he had last time he was awake. He very slowly rose to a sitting position, his back against the tree trunk, and pulled up his shirt to see the scrapes on his stomach looking very red and oozing slightly as well as bruising from hitting the trees. Great he was getting an infection as well as everything else. He should have washed the grazes out but they hadn't felt that bad, well compared to his other injuries anyway. Dean gathered some snow and tore a small patch of his shirt off and set about cleaning the wounds on his stomach. It was slow hard going, the scrapes were a lot deeper than he had thought and the dirt had gotten into the wounds very deeply. By the time he was finished cleaning them, the wounds were an angry red and he was panting for breath again. He gathered more snow and pushed it into his flask so that he would have some water when it melted.

For the first time he wished he had taken one of Bobby's whiskey flasks, it would be a lot more help cleaning his wounds and keeping him warm. He decided he had better check his other wounds and tore more shirt off and gently cleaned his face and head checking the wounds in the reflection of the flask. His left eye was almost swollen shut and there was a great bruise over it extending to a cut over his left ear from the tire iron, but at least it had stopped bleeding , mostly, and he hoped it was as swollen as it was going to get because it was hard and tight on that side of his forearms and wrists had some deep scrapes as well and he cleaned them out as well.

Once he was satisfied he had done the best he could in the limited light with his shaking hands,he took hold of his new stick and pushed up the trunk again and came to a sitting position on it, his vision swimming and doubling again as he sat to wait it out. Once he was steady enough he stood and undid his belt and pants and pushed down them down then his boxers, rubbing his hands over himself to get rid of the dirt, then gave the boxers a shake and pulled them back up slowly. He seemed to be ok down there, thank god, but his thighs were another story. The material of his jeans had worn through as he had been dragged and he was left with painful grazes that were weeping slightly like his chest and stomach, he gathered some snow and cleaned the grazes before pulling his jeans back up after giving them a shake to get rid of most of the dirt. His legs were trembling and he was panting by the time he finished so he sat on the fallen tree to get his breath back.

He noticed the tree he had been leaning against had fallen over roots and all so he couldn't see its growth rings. He tried to remember what he had learned about trees and their growth rings and what they could tell you about direction when lost in the woods. Wasn't it _regardless of hemisphere, tree growth is more pronounced on the side facing the equator, and so the side of the stump with wider spacing between individual rings faces south if you're north of the equator, and vice-versa? _Yeah that was it and they said Sam was the brainiac. Ha! Well it wasn't going to help him with this tree unless he had a chain saw, but Dean decided to look out for broken trees or moss on trees when he walked because moss grew on the north side of the tree, didn't it ? Dean was dismayed to find it was hard to think clearly, the pain and tiredness as well as mild exposure clouding his thoughts. He pushed up from the tree, deciding to get moving and get back to Bobby's when his vision blurred and the ground canted wildly away from him and he quickly sat back on the tree and pressed his hands to his face while he willed himself not to throw up again.

It took some time for Dean's vision to return to almost normal this time and he was getting vaguely worried about being able to carry on without falling onto his injured ankle. He slowly forced himself to a standing position, gritting his teeth the whole time. He hobbled along in what he hoped was the way out of the forest , snow was starting to fall now and the dark clouds above the trees were not allowing him to see the sun or work out his directions at all.

He wished he had a compass or even a watch, he knew he could use a watch to work his direction out but his dad hadn't gotten him a decent watch even though he had asked for one as a survival tool, probably because he had broken his last three watches in quick time them being cheap throw aways, and he wasn't worth spending the money on. He guessed his dad always expected to be there when he needed him. Speaking of his dad did he know he was lost ? Would Bobby have told him by now? Would his dad interrupt a hunt to come find him? Well he knew Sam would come find him, Sam would drive Bobby crazy until they found him. But how would they find him? They were all great trackers but it would be a difficult task. Dean noticed he was shivering harder now as the snow fell harder through the trees, his wet coat doing nothing to keep him warm.

Dean walked until the shivering made it very hard for him to walk and he started to jar his injured ankle a lot and the ground threatened to come flying up at him one to many times. He walked a little further till he came upon another fallen tree over a small indent in the ground that the swaying branches must have made. There were quite a few dry pine needles stacked here as well as branches making a small shelter. Dean checked the indent to see no snow on the ground, the trunk and branches acting as a natural roof keeping the snow away from the ground. It would be a tight fit and Dean would have to crawl in, trying not to use his ankle. He lowered himself to the ground and slid slowly in bumping his ankle twice, only managing to keep from shouting out by clamping his teeth and lips shut hard. Once inside the hide, Dean tried to curl up on him self as much as possible to keep warm. It took some time but he worked himself into a semi comfortable position feeling his body throb with pain and rack with shivers was a strange combination and he didn't think he would get much rest like this but after a few moments exhaustion climbed its way over the pain and coldness and he fell into an uncomfortable sleep.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7 Infection

Warnings and Disclaimers see chapter 1

Chapter 7 Infection

After giving the junkyard and house a quick search, Sam and Bobby quickly got the gear together they would need to resume looking for Dean. While Sam was making them sandwiches to eat on the way back to the forest Bobby called their dad and told him what had happened . John was torn on leaving the hunt he was in the middle of and said he would start heading back if they had not called back by tomorrow morning to say they had found Dean. Bobby didn't bother to tell Sam about the call , he knew Sam was starting to get an attitude toward John not being around when he was needed and he didn't need that right now . They should be focusing there efforts on finding Dean and getting him safely back. They ate the sandwiches in the truck on the way to the forest parking lot, which was a lot closer than walking back from Bobby's house.

They walked back toward where the walking track meets the forest and followed their own foot prints in the snow back into the forest, meeting no one, the cold weather and snow keeping people indoors. They used their flashlights and found the blood on the trees much easier to follow. They soon came to where the blood on the trees stopped and scanned the area with their walking around for a few minutes Sam found Dean's knife on the ground, he held it up in a gloved hand to Bobby, dried blood on the handle. Bobby sucked in a breath and continued to look around on the ground, he found scuff marks and on some rocks a fair amount of blood. Near the blood Bobby found a hunk of rope, again blood rubbed into the fibres and then what looked like vomit mixed in with the snow. They searched the area again and found some scrape marks that Dean may have made getting up, other than that there was nothing else to see. They checked the compass and decided to move off in a westerly direction away from the direction they entered the forest. They spread a few feet apart and moved slowly searching the ground carefully as the snow came down.

Dean woke to find the forest darker than it had been when he was last awake but he was quite warm, in fact his face had sweat pouring down it even though he still had the shivers. He lifted his shirt which stuck to his chest ominously to see his chest was still red, sore and now weeping green and yellow pus. He streched an arm outside his small shelter and gathered more snow and cleaned the wound again and put more snow on his ankle as it was throbbing painfully. Dean examined the wound on the back of his head which was still sticky; the blood had run down his neck down into his shirt. Dean cleaned it and held a bigger piece of dry shirt to it as hard as he could with his good arm. After a while Dean lay down using the ground to press the shirt to his knew he should get up and try to get back to Bobby's soon but he was finding it harder to think clearly he would have a short nap and get moving soon. He watched the snow fall through the branches of his hide and was soon back to sleep head lolling on his lump of shirt.

Bobby was getting horse yelling Dean's name into the forest and he noticed Sam's voice breaking and growing horse as well. He stomped his feet to keep warm and they headed back to where they found Dean's knife. They consulted the compass and the map of the area they had bought with them, after shading the area they had searched with pencil, they decided which way go and spread out to search again.

When Dean woke again the forest was pitch black the only lighter spots being the snow on the ground. His whole body ached and trembled and he was now very hot with sweat pouring down his face. '_This cant be good_' He thought as he checked his stomach grazes and was shocked to feel how bad they gotten in such short time. The area felt swollen and hot and wet with what Dean assumed was pus. Dean scraped more snow and used more shirt to clean the area gritting his teeth trying to ignore the pain as he the time he had finished he had the chills again and noticed the scrapes on his legs were also warm, so he pushed his jeans down and cleaned the scrapes on his thighs. He drank the melted snow from his flask and refilled it before extracting himself slowly from his small shelter. He used his stick and the fallen tree to get to his feet and stood swaying for a few minutes before starting to shuffle off the way he had been going when he stopped. Well he thought he was but he really couldn't tell any more the forest looked all the same to him now just a million blurry trees between him and Bobby's.

He staggered along for about an hour before he stopped leaning against a tree. He took another drink from the flask but what he really needed now was some food, his stomach was growling hungrily at him, but there was nothing much to eat around. He had a choice of pine needles and tree bark really. He had seen an occasional bird but not so much as a mouse or a squirrel anywhere. He guessed he was lucky that he hadn't come across a bear, there was no way he could fight it off in his current condition or even run away. Just as Dean was about to walk away from the tree he felt something furry on the bark. He rubbed his hand over the spot again, Moss. He had been looking for it since he became lost and this was the first he had seen.

Now if he could just remember the rule about moss growing on the north side of a tree, not always 100% accurate but better than nothing when he didn't have the sun, moon or stars to guide him . Now which way was Bobby's again? He was having trouble thinking of anything except trying to hold back the pain and the thumping of his heartbeat in his chest and in his ears. He moped sweat out of his eyes and limped off in the direction that he felt Bobby's house hoped.

Bobby and Sam had stopped for a break, leaning against a fallen stump eating the remainder of their lunch sandwiches both quiet in contemplation. Bobby knew he would have to set a time in which they would have to stop and go for more food and a few hours sleep. He knew Sam would be dead set against it, the youngster had found today hard going with him still getting over a concussion. Bobby knew for one he still had a headache , he could tell by the way the boy frowned and every now and again would rub his fingers over the bridge of his nose in pain, a direct copy of what Dean did when he had a had been a long afternoon.

Sam was already making all sorts of deals with whoever would listen to his internal prayers that his brother would be ok. He had never been so worried about Dean in his life, which had to be something given that Dean and their dad would often be late coming back from a hunt and Sam would worry himself into a lather that they were not coming back. Most times they were going to be late Dean would try to let him know but there were occasions when they hadn't been able to let him know. At least this time he was keeping busy by being able to help look for Dean which was way better than sitting around worrying but the blood they had seen was almost Sam's undoing. He had wanted to sprint into the forest calling Deans name but he had showed restraint and hunted like Dean and their dad had taught him. Fat lot of good it had done them so far. He was wet, cold and hungry and as far as he could tell no closer to finding his brother. All traces of him had dried up when the snow began to fall again.

Bobby finally turned to Sam and dragged him out of his internal musings. "Sam we are going to have to go back to my place soon and get some rest ".  
"I don't want to leave yet Bobby".  
"I know son but we are both exhausted and cold ,which means we could start to make mistakes in our search and what if Dean has made it home and we are still out here looking for him?"  
"Maybe , but he wasn't there before."  
"I could make a couple of calls and get some more hunters to help us search as well".  
"I still don't want to leave, I mean this is the second night, wouldn't Dean get exposure or something being out this long? I know he had his jacket on but it's kind of thin, he needs a new one. And his boots are just about worn through."  
"I hear you kid but if we can get some help we might find him quicker. Anyway, I'm not saying leave right now. Lets give it another two hours, then head back for a break and we can be back before first light." Sam's face was scrunched in thought, he really didn't want to go, but Dean might be back at the house by now.  
"Ok, but lets make sure we mark the map so we can start again as soon as we can in the morning." They searched for another two hours, Sam's voice pretty well gone by the time they walked back to the truck but he didn't care he would get some rest and his voice would be ok tomorrow. When they returned to Bobby's house Sam took Castor around the junkyard after checking the inside of the house, but there was no sign of his brother. Bobby rang John and left a message that they had found signs of Dean in the forest and would be resuming the search in the morning. He rang a few hunters that lived close buy they were all busy and would try to get there as soon as they could. Bobby set to work making sure Sam was feed and got some rest, he had a feeling they were going to need it.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8 Attack

Warnings and Disclaimers see Chapter 1

Chapter 8 Attack

Dean stopped to rest after not feeling any moss for some time, he was struggling for breath and his skin on his stomach and thighs felt like they were on fire. His head throbbed with his headache and his ribs were sore and aching, in fact his whole body seemed to be aching. He wiped his forearm across his brow for what felt like the hundredth time in an hour. He was finding it hard to concentrate on what he was meant to be doing, occasionally thinking he was on a hunt and had lost his father, he even called him a few times. He called for Sam a few times as well and once could have sworn he had a conversation with him before the reality of his situation came crashing back down again.

He decided it was time for a rest and to clean his injuries again while he could, as he could just recognize he was starting to fall apart mentally because of the fever. He sat against a tree and slowly scraped up some snow and used another scrap of shirt to clean the wounds. He had struggled for some minutes just to tear a small scrap from his shirt, he was alarmed at how weak he was getting. The wound had even more red marks leading away from the wound , not that he could see it , and Dean used as much snow as he could to cool and clean the wound not caring if he got wet in the process. He used more snow on his legs and scraped a heap together and piled it over his injured ankle still hot and tight in the boot and sock. Then he lay back against the tree and just had time to marvel that it had stopped snowing before he let himself fall into oblivion.

* * *

Sam was pacing back and forth across Bobby's living room, anxiety coming off him in waves. "Sam you are just going to have to calm down and get some rest before we get going again in the morning."  
"Its just not right Bobby he could be lying somewhere dyi... dy.. dy..." Sam's husky voice trailed off as he gasped for breath. Bobby strode over to the young man and put his hands on his shoulders.  
"Sam calm down, you're going to hyperventilate. Just breathe, suck it in and out." Sam's face was going an alarming shade of red. Bobby grabbed a paper bag off the kitchen table and thrust the open end over Sam's mouth . "Just breathe Sam, push the bag out." Bobby grabbed Sam's hand and placed it on his chest. "Come on Sam copy my breathing". Sam took a few minutes to slowly started to relax and followed Bobby's exaggerated breaths until he was breathing normally again. Bobby sat Sam on the couch.  
"Thanks Bobby, sorry for freaking out like that, I've never done that it was pretty scary."  
"Everyone has a panic attack once in their life Sam don't worry about."  
"I'm sorry, worried about Dean I guess."  
"Just rest here for a few minutes you will feel better." Bobby knew Sam had to be exhausted, probably part of the reason he had the attack, everything had snuck up on him. Bobby put a pillow under Sam's head and a blanket over him. Sam's eyes blinked with tiredness as he tried to stay awake. Bobby busied himself with quietly putting another log on the fire and stoking it up , and when he turned back around he was not surprised to find Sam's eyes closed and breathing in softly as he slept. '_Damn stubborn Winchesters'_ he thought as he settled himself in the armchair to grab a few hours sleep.

* * *

Dean woke up again feeling disorientated and called out to Sam to get out of bed and get him a glass of water and some pain killers. The hunt they were on must have been a doozy his head hurt like a bitch, his side was killing him, this bed was the lumpiest he had ever slept in and his ankle hurt like ..'_Ahhhhh_ " he yelled as he grabbed his ankle, hurting his chest and ribs at the same time. He breathed through the pain and yelled at Sam for the pain killers. "What did you do to me Sam?" His eyes adjusted to the darkness and when he saw all the trees he became further confused. "Where's dad, Sammy?' He called. His hands were cold even though he was sweating heavily and had the shivers. There was water over his stomach, thighs and left ankle, and when he tried to move the ankle, he was hit with blinding pain. He looked around him slowly remembering where he was. Forest, lost? Had to get back to Bobby's? That's about all he could remember except he was hurt pretty bad and had to be careful.

He slowly go to his feet using the tree he had woken up next to and realized quickly he couldn't put weight on his left foot, he spied the stick he had been using earlier , not that he remembered, and bent slowly and picked it up. When he rose he was hit by an amazing bout of vertigo that almost had him back on the ground, instead he hung onto the tree for grim death. "Get the bucket Sammy" he called before he remembered he was on his own, and then he was dry heaving hard, his stomach muscles cramping around what had to be a broken rib.

After the heaving subsided Dean took some shuffling steps with the help of the stick, in what he hoped was the right way but having no idea in the dark where he was going. His right foot felt numb with cold which made it harder to hop along with the feeling of pins and needles. As Dean limped along he realized his cheeks, earlobes, fingers, and toes were feeling very cold. He couldn't remember the symptoms or treatment for exposure even though he had read the first aid book a million times while criss-crossing the country with his dad and Sam. "Sammy, symptoms for exposure?" He wasn't surprised to get no answer. Maybe that was a symptom, talking to himself. He chuffed a laugh and concentrated on not bumping his injury's as he stumbled along.

He pushed his wet hair off his face and stumbled down a valley, where for the first time the trees were a little thinner and there was wild grass and largish rocks that he could just make out, that he might be able to lean against for shelter. He was contemplating doing just that when he heard a shuffle to his left over the hill of the valley. He stopped and listened as hard as he could over his pounding heart, whatever it was could not see him from his position in the valley. The shuffling stopped and he was about to take a step when a sharp howl pierced the otherwise quiet night. Deans heart leap to his throat and only his training stopped him from screaming out or even breathing harder. He limped over to the nearest rock and burrowed himself between the rock and the high grass looking for any cover he could get. He made himself as small as he could biting back a howl of pain from his injuries as he hit the deck. As soon as he was settled there was another sharp howl that sent Goosebumps along his arms and spine. He knew from the howl what he had come upon. A coyote.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9 Out

Warnings and disclaimers see Chapter 1

Chapter 9 Out

Dean lay panting as quietly as he could listening as the coyote was joined by more of the same breed judging by the sound of the barks and feet running over the ground. Dean knew he would have to wait them out and hoped that they would move away without smelling him. He hoped he wasn't lying in their den or anywhere close to it. He couldn't exactly see among the grass and rocks very well, he could very well be sitting on their front door, just his luck.

At least he knew why there were no rabbits or other small game in the area; the coyotes were in charge of pest control. As soon as Dean heard the barking and yapping move off he raised himself back up on his stick and continued on his way as fast as he could. Dean pushed himself to walk for another hour or so before stopping to rest, he was starting to see coyotes everywhere now so he knew if he kept walking it would only get worse , as his mind was feeling very mixed up. The forest had changed on this side of the valley and there were more bushes here but most were covered in snow. He found a dent in the ground under a bush giving some cover and after pushing himself under painfully he curled up and fell into a deep sleep at once.

* * *

Bobby woke Sam before dawn and they silently ate the breakfast Bobby had put together before heading back to the search. Once they reached the place they left the night before they fanned out searching slowly as they had every other time. Sam walked slowly with his head down and Bobby caught himself looking over at the boy quite a lot, he was pale and drawn this morning and Bobby had to threaten him with not being allowed to search before actually he put some food down. Sam calling loudly broke him out of his thoughts, Sam's voice sounded like his throat felt sore and tired.

Sam had come to a fallen tree; there was blood on the trunk and on the ground in the snow next to it. Sam shone his flashlight slowly over the area and saw flattened needles and a small fabric squared covered in blood. Dean's shirt, he was sure. Sam showed Bobby the material "Well he was here all right, good work Sam ". Sam got up and searched the ground around the stump , after a few moments he started waking with purpose in one direction, Bobby called out and Sam waited for him to catch up "What are you following Sam?"  
"Every now and again there is a scrape mark like Dean is dragging one of his legs. He is trying hard not to, you know what Deans like, but its there." Sam bent and showed Bobby what he was tracking, it was very slight due to the covering of needles but it was there. Bobby put a hand on Sam' shoulder his pale face giving away the fact that the blood he had seen was worrying him.  
"Its good work Sam. It's going to be hard to track so I will mark on the map where we are just in case then we can keep going."  
"Yep, let's go Bobby." Sam was keen to be off. Bobby noticed he was holding the piece off shirt in one hand, flashlight in the other. Bobby noted their position then they resumed the search.

* * *

Dean woke up to the sun just coming up and he felt more light on his face than he had since he had been in the forest. He called for Sam then his dad before remembering he was lost again then very slowly got to his feet with tears of exhaustion and pain in his eyes. He worked through the pain and took a drink from the flask, his stomach and legs very hot and he felt the infection burning through him as he shivered with fever.

He stumbled along heading towards the lightest part of the forest and after fifteen minutes of walking came out of the forest to the walking track he had been on with Bobby's dog. Deans walked to the edge of the track and instead of walking down it turned and walked between the service road and the steep hill so that he was not seen from the track. He could not even say what drove him to do it only that he wanted to stay off the track. There was a ditch between the road and the hill and Dean walked along in the ditch so than he could barley be seen from the road and he could use the side of the ditch to help him limp along.

* * *

Sam and Bobby called and yelled until their voices were horse and could hardly be heard, the drag marks were very hard to see as snow had covered some of them so Sam was trying to guess where Dean had been going. Not an easy feat as Dean's trail was not straight; he crossed back on himself a few times making it even harder for the hunters to track.

Sam found a bloody hand print on a trunk of a tree and Bobby marked it on their map and they continued on. Sam soon saw a fallen tree with bunched up pine needles under it and scooted under for a closer look. He shone his flashlight on the leaves and saw dried blood; he searched through the needles until he came upon another small scrap of material. He called Bobby over, and together they bent back in over the area taking in the scene trying to piece together what had happened there.

There was a definite indent from Dean's body among the needles, and blood on the ground, in the surrounding snow and on some of the leaves of the hanging branches of the fallen tree. Bobby sighed heavily knowing he would have to try to keep control of Sam least he have another attack. Sam stood back up and looked around on the ground for where Dean had gone, there were a few drops of blood and he followed them until they dried up but he kept walking in the same direction. He soon found the feet scrape marks he had been following but they were now more prominent, like Dean was struggling to keep control of himself. Sam gulped hard as he gathered himself and once Bobby was at his side he strode off into the forest as the first rays of sun lightened the sky.

* * *

Dean was finding it harder to stay on his feet he had to stop several times to rest and by the time he was at the end of the service road and back to normal roads he was bathed in sweat and was struggling to stay on his feet. He found a bush on the side of the road and stopped and had another rest fighting hard to keep his eyes open. Bobby's house was in sight now and the pull of his brother being just down there was enough to keep him barley conscious. He was mumbling to himself not sure if he was dreaming or not, disorientation came on him in waves making it harder to work out what he needed to do. As he entered Bobby's yard he looked like a drunk at a Christmas party, he was swaying and just about crawling.

He got to the front door and tried it to find it locked, just his luck to come all this way and have the door locked. He pushed his back to the door and slid down in keeping his left leg out in front of him; he didn't even have the strength to knock on the door with his hand but instead rammed an elbow backwards into the wood. Painful but effective, they should hear him. After a few minutes Dean's head sagged into his shoulder and he realized the door wasn't being opened. Dean tied to stay awake and think what to do next but the exhaustion and pain of the last two days had caught up with him and he slumped against the door frame out for the count.

* * *

Bobby and Sam had no trouble following this part of Dean's trail; it had stopped snowing before he had walked here and there were boot marks in the light snow. Sam was almost running as he traced his brother's steps yelling until his voice broke and was painful but he kept yelling anyway. Bobby stopped at a tree with a bloody hand print and looked closely at the ground. The area around the trunk had melted snow, blood and pus on the ground as well as a scrap of Dean's shirt material. Bobby tried to keep the marks from Sam but his eyes sweep the scene in a moment and he was soon flying along in a dead run yelling for Dean as he went. Bobby chased the young hunter getting a stitch in his side as they ran down a valley where Sam skidded to a sudden stop. He moved to his left and swept the flash light over long wild grass stalks that had broken ends. Sam moved behind a rock to find a place in the grass where Dean had pressed the grass down. It took Sam seconds to assess the situation and he was back following Dean's trail through the needles and snow.

Sam slowed slightly when he realized Bobby was struggling to keep up with him and increased his yelling instead. They soon came to the bush Dean had stopped to rest under, then followed the trail out of the forest toward the walking trail , where Sam had to slow down to find Deans boot prints. They seemed to lead away from the track itself down between the hill and the service road. Sam was beginning to doubt his tracking skills when he saw a spot of blood on the grass at the side of the road. It looked like Dean had used the bank as a support as he moved along the ditch. Then Sam saw a boot print stand out amongst the melting snow and mud, Deans.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10 Hospital

Warnings and declaimers see Chapter 1

Chapter 10 Hospital

Sam was about to bolt off along the ditch when Bobby grabbed his arm "Sam stop for a second" he panted.  
"But Bobby, we are so close".  
"I'm not gonna stop you boy, I'm gonna run back and get the truck and drive up the service road in case he's up there. We can get him home quicker that way. You keep goin, just keep an eye out for me and let me know when you find him, ok?"  
"Yeah Bobby, good idea". Bobby headed off in the direction of the parking lot as quick as he could. Sam set off at a fast jog scanning for signs of his brother as he went. He saw spots where Dean had stopped given the flat grass and the marks in the ditch.

Sam was starting to truly appreciate just how tough his brother really was. He was his hero and had been for a long time, but it was times like this when it was brought home fully to him. When Dean was away on a hunt with their dad, Sam hadn't had much of a chance to see his big brother in action, because he was normally left behind and when he was with Sam he was protective more than anything else. Dean had never let him down as far as always returning from a hunt, because Sam made him promise every time before he left with their dad. He always looked like he wanted to stay with Sam, but then he would always hug Sam roughly and kiss the top of his head before giving him his promise. Sam pushed on as fast as his legs would go, coming out of the ditch and bolting down the road only slowing when he saw boot marks in the gravel and snow.

Sam ran into Bobby's yard yelling as loud as he could but there was no answer. He was about to run back down the drive and find Bobby when a shape at Bobby's front door caught his eye. "Dean" he yelled and flew to the doorway almost banging his head on the door as he skidded to a stop. "Dean, Dean, Dean" he yelled as he felt Deans neck for a pulse. It was thready but there. Sam lowered Dean's slumped form so he was lying flat on the porch and Sam could feel the heat coming off his brother like he had just opened an oven, sweat pouring off his face. Sam patted Dean's face and rubbed a hand through his normally spiky hair.

"Come on big brother wake up ,please Deaney you're scaring me, come on". Sam was so panicked he was using Dean's nickname from when he was very little. Dean murmured and opened his eyes half way, a hand reaching for his brother. Sam took his hand and squeezed hard willing Dean to be ok "Hey Dean, You made it big brother."  
"Sammy?"  
"Yeah, Dean it's me".  
"Hey Sammy, you ok?"  
"Am I ok? I'm not the one who was lost in the forest for two days. You nearly gave me and Bobby a heart attack".Sam held Dean's head in his arm, not caring about the heat just glad his brother was showing signs of life.  
"Bobby?' Dean's eyes slid around looking for Bobby.  
"He's getting the truck; he will be here in a minute." Dean moved restlessly then tried to sit up but started to cough and fell back down. "Don't move Dean just stay still. Bobby will be here to help in a minute". Sam rubbed a hand over Dean's cheek trying to soothe him,Dean looked into Sam's eyes and smiled slightly trying to reassure his brother. But Sam had just started to take in what a mess Dean was, he was wet with sweat and shaking like mad ,very pale and had died blood in a number of places. Sam heard the truck pull in behind him and he turned and waved Bobby over.

Bobby reached Sam and Dean on the porch and assessed Dean quickly, there was no point taking him inside he needed medical help straight away. "Hi Dean, How you feelin?" Bobby felt Deans head as he spoke. Dean turned his glassy eyes to Bobby  
"Hey Bobby" he muttered "Is your dog ok? I'm sorry I tried to keep him safe."  
"Shh shh, its ok Dean, Castro is fine, just worry about yourself for once. Save your strength. How is your foot? Do you think it's broken?" Bobby touched the swollen foot gently. Dean nodded slowly "I'm going to pick you up and put you in the truck. You want me on your right? Will that feel better?" Dean nodded again, and Bobby knew the young man was in a bad way because he was letting him carry him to the truck instead of trying to stand like he normally would.

Dean's face paled even further when Bobby lifted him off the porch and Sam ran and opened the passenger door of the truck. Bobby laid Dean across the front seat of the truck, with his feet facing the driver's seat and his back against the passenger door. Bobby called Sam over and had him sit in the passenger seat under Dean and lay Dean's back against his chest, Sam put his arms around his brother holding him upright. Bobby got in and placed his jacket under Deans left foot as gently as he could, then started the trunk and drove off smoothly.

Once he was back on the road Bobby glanced over to see Dean had shifted slightly so he could see Sam's face and had gone back to holding Sam's hand. Dean's eyes were barley open and after a few minutes he pushed his face into Sam's neck and Sam looked stunned that his older brother was burrowing into him looking for comfort when it was normally him doing it to Dean. Sam murmured to Dean and ran a hand through Deans wet hair, something Dean did to Sam when he was hurt or upset. "Hang on Dean we are getting you some help ok? You just have to hang on, you've done really well so far, just a little further ok?"  
"Sammy".  
"Yeah Dean?'  
"I love you Sammy" Ok, Dean was officially delirious , Dean Winchester did not tell his brother he loved him , even if it were true , it was just to girly. Dean's eyes rolled back in his head and flopped onto Sam with all his weight. "Dean stay with me Dean, Dean you can't go, you always promise and you always come back. Dean please wake up." Sam was babbling he was that scared for his brother. Sam's shaking fingers went to Dean's neck as the truck pulled up, they had arrived at the hospital.

Bobby jumped out and flung the passenger door open and scooped Dean off Sam's lap. Sam made sure Dean's left foot didn't hit anything as Bobby pulled him out of the truck. Bobby and Sam raced into the ER , Dean unconscious and floppy in Bobby's arms. "Please, I need help, my nephew was lost in the forest for two nights and he's real sick." Bobby practically yelled at the triage nurse. A doctor came out of some doors to Bobby's right and took a quick look at Dean and ushered them through the doors to the ER area.

Bobby and Sam followed the doctor to a bed in an exam room and Bobby placed Dean gently on the bed. "What happened to ..? " The doctor asked as he examined Dean.

"Dean. He was attacked by some guys on bikes and as far as we can tell they took him into the forest and left him there. How he got the injuries I can't exactly say except it must have happened when they chased him into the forest. He was there for two nights and walked out this afternoon." Bobby was surprised he could actually tell as much truth as he could about Deans injuries; normally they had to make up some story to explain the hunting injuries they sustained.  
"He walked out of the forest on his own?"  
"Yeah".  
"Wow he must be one tough kid. How old is he?"  
"Fifteen".  
"Well he was probably tied up at some stage and pulled along judging by the depth of the cuts and burns on his wrists. He has a good case of exposure all right. The important thing is that his breathing and heart rate are monitored".

The doctor had seen Sam and was trying to reassure the youth that his friend would be ok. "Are you Dean's friend?"  
"He's my brother".  
"Ah ,Very good. You look tired. Are you ok?"  
"Sam and I have spent the last couple of days looking for his brother non stop doc, we're both pretty tired." Bobby explained.  
"Yes, I understand". The doctor hadn't stopped his exam as he talked to them. He pulled Dean T shirt slowly off his stomach. 'Ok we have a problem here'.  
"You think?" Bobby quipped.  
"Ah a rather large one I'm afraid." He leaned over and pressed a button as he pushed a thermometer into Dean's ear. After a moment it beeped and he pulled it out, he frowned but didn't look surprised. "Dean has a quite bad infection it's turned lymphatic and he needs immediate treatment. Its about to get very busy in here ,so I'm going to have to ask you to sit outside while we make sure Dean gets the best treatment we can provide."  
"Oh, ok doc just make sure he is ok".  
"He has a broken foot" Sam spoke up not wanting to leave his brother.  
"I will make sure it's looked after, thank you Sam. I'm Dr Kelly by the way I will look after Dean for you. As soon as we have him sorted we will let you know". Dr Kelly turned back to Dean as two nurses entered the room one walked over and helped the doctor and the other escorted Bobby and Sam out to the waiting room to fill out the inevitable paperwork.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11 Recovery

Warnings and disclaimer see Chapter 1

Chapter 11 Recovery

Bobby moved the truck and while he was outside spoke to John to let him know what was going on with Dean. John was on his way but was still about five hours away. Bobby returned to Sam and took him to the canteen and made sure he had something to eat. They paced up and down for 2 hours before the doctor Kelly came over and spoke to them.  
"Well Dean sure has a lot of injuries, the kids black and blue. I would say the people who did this to him gave him a good working over before he got away. The police will be over later when Deans awake if he can give them a description, I would like to see them charged." Doctor Kelly looked upset as he spoke.  
"I'm sorry I hate seeing kids injured like this, anyway let's focus on what we can do for Dean. His main problem is the infection from the cuts and grazes they have turned infected to the point of being lymphatic which means an infection in the system that drains fluid from the tissues, we have started him on strong antibiotics and intravenous fluids. He also has two broken ribs and multiple bruising as well as a fractured skull. The skull fracture is minor but it will be monitored closely because he has a bad concussion as well, his facial injuries are mainly swelling but we stitched the gash on the side of his head up. Blood loss is a factor too, its not enough to warrant a transfusion but we are keeping an eye on it. He is in surgery now, having his broken foot fixed . We are worried about his fever as it's very high due to the infection but the antibiotics should bring it down soon. His left shoulder looks like it may have been dislocated but it is back in joint now. He will sleep for a while, when he gets out of surgery because of the high doses we are pushing into him but you can sit with him if you like."

Bobby reeled at all the information he was trying to take in. He looked down into Sam's teary eyes, the boy really needed his dad now or his brother. Bobby put his arm around Sam's shoulders."We would like to sit with him as soon as we can. His dad will be here soon he has a job in another state and should be here later today."  
"Ok, he can come in when he gets here." Doctor Kelly looked at Sam's teary eyes and bent down to his level."You sure have a tough brother don't you Sam?"  
Sam nodded and the tears fell. Doctor Kelly put a hand on the young mans shoulder "Dean woke up for a second and asked for you before he went into surgery ,Sam. He knows you're here and waiting for him. He said to tell you he will keep his promise, does that sound right?" Sam nodded and smiled slightly,but cried even harder.

Doctor Kelly knew he must be a very tired boy, he looked it. "Dean is in the best of hands Sam, He has a specialist looking after him and I will make sure he his well looked after ok?" "Thanks" Sam nodded to the doctor who got up and gave Bobby a tight smile before going in to check on Dean. Bobby bent down and hugged Sam tight, something the young man would normally shrug off but today he took all he could get.

* * *

Sam sat next to Dean's bed with his hand in his brothers, Dean hadn't moved a muscle since getting out of surgery but Sam wanted to be there when he woke. Dean was covered in bandages and his left foot was raised up and covered in plaster to his knee. His face looked a sight the bruises now dark purple and black with tinges of red, and his left eye was still swollen and colored. There were more tubes coming out of Dean than he had ever seen and bags of fluid hanging up, and too many machines monitoring Dean's condition for Sam's liking. All in all he just wanted his brother to wake up, but the doctor said he wouldn't wake up for a long time. Bobby and the doctor had both tried unsuccessfully to get Sam to have a sleep. The doctor even had a bed bought in, just for Sam, but he wouldn't even look at until he knew Dean was going to be ok, and to Sam that meant talking to him. Sam kept up the patter of talk, taking about anything he could think of just so his brother would know he was there. After a while his head was getting heavy so he lowered it onto Dean's good side and lay with his eyes open still talking to Dean.

* * *

Dean felt the blackness fade away and slowly come into the light, he opened his eyes slowly as they were very heavy, one more than the other. As he became more aware he realized his chest felt heavy and his left leg as well. He still felt way to warm but the coolness of the sheet was helping him feel better. He blinked around the room to see his brother's hair sticking up from his chest; he focused on the hair and saw Sam's face staring over his head and his mouth moving. Dean concentrated on Sam's voice but the words were too soft for him to make out, so he focused on his right arm and lifted it to Sam's shoulder startling him and making him jump up, knocking Dean's hand back to the bed. Sam was suddenly in Dean's face talking fast and loud making no sense what so ever "Woe, Sammy slow down" Deans voice was soft ,scratchy and slow the opposite to Sam's.  
"Dean, how are you feeling?" Much slower good, if he could get him to turn the decibels down he would be even happier.  
"Better Sammy. Have you slept? You look tired." Dean's voice was barely a murmur and he felt like he had been chewing razor blades. Sam's eyes were wide and alert but Dean could see black bags under them.  
"I wanted to make sure you were ok first". Sam went all shy and doe eyed a sure sign he was embarrassed about his actions.  
"Come here, little brother". Dean put his arms up slowly in the universal sign for hug. Dean knew his brother needed one, even in his drug clouded state. Sam went over and burrowed his face in Dean's neck his arms going around his chest gently. "I'm ok now Sammy, so I want you to sleep now ok?"  
"But Dean.." Dean was already tired and ready to fall back to sleep, he was panting a bit with effort.  
"No buts, if I have to you have to." Sam was torn he knew his brother needed the rest.  
"Ok Dean, just for a little while. Just promise me you will wake up. " Dean saw the stricken look on Sam's face, he must have been worse than he thought.  
"Ok Sammy, deal ." He croaked and Dean used the last of his energy to mess Sam's hair with his hand. Sam smiled back then moved over to the other bed, Dean watching, his eyes already hooded and ready to fall back to sleep.  
"Goodnight Dean".  
"Night, Sammy."  
"See you soon."  
"You know you will, little brother." Sam's eyes closed as Dean's did and they were both fell to sleep at the same time.

Bobby looked on as both boys fell to sleep; he had stayed quiet during the boys exchange knowing Sam would be much happier now that he had spoken to Dean. After a few minutes, Doctor Kelly came in to check up on Dean. He noticed Sam asleep on the other bed "How did you work that miracle? I thought we were going to have to sedate him so he could rest."  
"Actually, Dean did that."  
"Dean was awake?" He frowned over at Bobby.  
"Yep, spoke a few words to his brother, encouraged him to take a break."  
"Man he's a tough kid. The meds he's on should have kept him out till tomorrow at least."  
"Well toughs his middle name doc."  
"If it isn't, it should be." He shook his head finding it hard to believe his patient had been awake already. He checked Dean's temperature and found it still too high. He added more medication to his IV this time to try to knock the temperature down directly. As tough as he was he didn't want Dean to have a seizure in his current state. Then he turned to Bobby and asked him to step outside for a moment.

Once outside Dr Kelly came straight to the point "I Have some disturbing news , I was just coming up to talk to you about it." Bobby frowned but let the doctor continue. "A young man has just come into the ER who has been severely bashed; he was walking to work this morning down the old train line walking track when some guys on bikes attacked him. Thankfully there were witnesses who called the police and tried to stop them. They managed to arrest one of them but the others got away, they are going to try to find and arrest the rest of them. The witnesses are saying the boy was beaten with a tire iron and a baseball bat before they tried to tie him to the back of one of the bikes, as if to drag him." Bobby blanched and went white at the implication.  
"Son off a bitch. A friggin tire iron and a baseball bat? These could be the yo ho's that beat Dean up."  
"It looks like it and it would explain his head injures at the least, and the m.o is the same, with the rope. The police informed us that this is the forth attack on people on that track in the last month."  
"Well why the hell didn't they put something in the paper or something to warn people?"  
"They are saying the other people were not badly injured so it wasn't warranted."  
"God damnit. Cops could have saved us some problems couldn't they?" Bobby was extremely angry he didn't know about this problem right under his nose. "How's the kid doing?" "Unfortunately not well. He is twenty, so older than Dean, but his injures were all in the head and upper chest region , but we are hoping for the best."

* * *

Sometime later Dean woke up sweaty and disorientated, to find his dad gripping his hand and talking to him. It several moments to work out what he was saying to him. "What?" he croaked still unsure.  
"I said you did good buddy, getting yourself out of the forest on your own."  
"Dad? Is that really you?" He voice a whisper.  
"Yeah it's me sport. How you feeling?"  
"I'm fine dad".  
"Yeah sure you are. You look like you've been for a swim you're that wet." John ran his hands through Dean's hair.  
"How did the hunt go?" Dean was panting softly with effort.  
"Don't worry about that, concentrate on getting better. I still want to know how you let a couple of kids on motorbikes take you down." He joked.  
"They weren't kids' dad they were adults, three of them with a tire iron."  
"Sounds like the ones that attacked the other kid" Bobby came up to the bed shaking his head "Did you get a look at them?'  
"At the bikes more that them. It was dark." Dean was starting to drift off tiredly his head lolling on the pillow.  
'"I was just kidding with you Dean. You're tougher than anyone I know getting out of there, well done son."  
"Who are you again?' Dean was shocked at his dad giving him praise for something. John laughed lightly and smiled at Dean as he stroked his arm.  
"Get some rest now Dean. Just get yourself well again."Dean fell to sleep with his dad stroking his arm.

TBConcluded

* * *

Yeah! One more chapter to go- Thanks to all that took the time to review.


	12. Chapter 12 Gift

Chapter 12 Gift

The next time Dean woke slowly, Sam was sitting next to his bed with a sad look on his face, his hand in Dean's watching him intently. "What's up Sammy?" He croaked his throat sore and raspy.  
"Hey Dean. You're finally awake. Thank god." Sam stood and hugged Dean a little too enthusiastically hurting Deans ribs and stomach as he squeezed his brother like he never wanted to let go. Dean bit down the pain and looked searchingly at Sam's face, but Sam tried to hide his face in Dean's neck. Dean grasped Sam's chin in his fingers and tilted Sam's face to see tears in his eyes.  
"Hey Sammy , what's goin on why are you so upset little brother?" Dean kept an arm around Sam as he questioned him, voice was raspy and he reached for a glass of water. Bobby stood and helped him. "Thanks Bobby".Dean drank some water his eyes still on Sam and he noticed Sam had not answered his question. "What's up Sam?"  
"You've been unconscious for three days Dean, you scared us again."  
"Sorry buddy I didn't know I was being so lazy, sorry I upset you." Sam paled at Dean's words, Bobby noticed and decided he had better explain why Sam was so upset.  
"Dean your fever spiked quite high and you had a seizure, day before yesterday, you scared us and the doctor. How you didn't end up in ICU still makes me wonder, your temperature came down last night just as they were thinking of moving you. Doc says you were hallucinating, they tied you down for a bit, but we're glad you're ok that's for sure."

Dean noticed for the first time there were restraints on the rails of the bed, he was glad he had woken up without them on, he may have freaked out.  
"Sorry Sammy"he muttered into Sam's hair as he pulled him close. Sam was softy crying on Dean's shoulder so he knew something else was going on. "What happened Bobby?' He asked softly over Sam's head. Bobby sighed loudly.  
"The idiots that attacked you attacked another person and he's in a coma."  
"Oh God". Dean chocked out.  
"They got one of them and the police think they might be able to arrest the others."  
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting Sammy, it must have been hard." Dean knew he would have been frantic if the tables had been turned. Sam must have been thinking Dean would end up in a coma too.  
"You didn't know Dean it's not your fault."  
"Well I'm sorry that I got jumped in the first place and all this happened. It was hell being away from you all that time."  
"But it's my fault you were there Dean. You were walking the dog because we sent you. We were wrong, you weren't bothering us. We shouldn't have made you go."  
"It' not your fault Sammy, you couldn't have known what would happen. I shouldn't have let those guys jump me that's all."Dean's voice was close to giving out. Bobby could see both these stubborn Winchesters blaming themselves for what had happened.  
"Now, now you two. Neither of you are to blame; those young punks on the bikes are to blame if anybody is. Don't blame yourself for being taken by them Dean, not three adults with weapons and you were trying to protect a defenseless animal. They attacked and beat up a twenty year old who was lucky to get away with his life. And Sam, how could it be your fault? It could have happened at any time to anyone. Just try to relax and be grateful Dean's ok now, all right? You're both coming back to my place while Dean gets better and I don't want this bickering over whose fault it was to continue, got it?" It had been a big speech by Bobby and both boys looked shocked but nodded and agreed, there was a long way to go in Dean's recovery and it wouldn't do them any good to argue the whole time.

* * *

The police came the next day and took a statement from Dean about what had happened. Sam and Bobby had stayed with him for support and Sam had looked sad and Bobby angry when they finally found out exactly what had fully happened to Dean. Not that Sam had been giving Dean much room before that but after he became Dean's shadow. Bobby had just about grilled the cops for infomation about the guys that hurt Dean, he would get justice for Dean no matter what.

Four days later Dean had been allowed to leave and go back to Bobby's. Just before they left Dean pulled Bobby aside while Sam was gathering Dean's things from the bathroom. "So my dad, was that a hallucination?"  
"No he was here but left to finish the hunt he was on once he knew you were ok, the day before you woke up."  
"And?" Dean knew there was more to it.  
"Sam and your dad had a fight and your dad got told not to come back, because he was upsetting you and Sam."  
"What did they fight about?" Dean's voice was slightly higher than a whisper.  
"Sam wanted to know why he didn't come straight back once he knew you were missing. He called him a crap father." Bobby's voice was as low as Deans.  
"Ouch. I bet that stung. No wonder dad went berserk. I have a feeling this is just the start of those two Bobby. I'd better enjoy the quiet while I have it." Dean sighed heavily and Bobby was struck by Dean's ability to read ahead and see what was to come. He had always had a knack for it, unfortunately for Dean, Bobby thought he was going to be correct in this instance.  
"Like they say kid, you can't pick your family."

* * *

Dean's recovery at Bobby's was slow and uneventful; the amusing thing for Bobby was to see Sam mothering Dean like he had been doing to Sam before Dean was injured. Sam wasn't great at it, never having had much practice but what he lacked in experience he made up with in enthusiasm. So much so that Dean had to ban him from following him into the bathroom. Dean was patient with Sam and took it all in stride, allowing Sam to do the simplest of thing for him if it made him happy. Dean read in the local paper that the guys who had beat him and the other guy who had come out of the coma had finally been apprehended,well they had been found tied to a pole outside the police station knocked unconscious. Dean had his suspicions because Bobby was on the phone quite a lot before they left the hospital, but Bobby feigned interest in the paper saying only that he was glad they had been caught. Their dad turned up after a week to see how they were going and Dean could see things were strained between them. Sam had followed John out to the car when he was leaving and Dean could hear the yelling over the TV and turned it up as high as it would go to drown them out.

* * *

The next few days Sam was around Dean a lot less than he had been, staying outside doing jobs for Bobby in the yard and Dean suspected Sam was sulking and asked Bobby if he was ok because he wouldn't talk to Dean. Bobby assured Dean Sam was ok, just doing some heavy teenage brooding."That might wash if he was actually a teenager Bobby." scowled Dean stomping off on his crutches suspecting they were keeping something from him.

Dean found out what was going on a few days later when Dean had limped down for breakfast to find Sam and Bobby looking like Cheshire cats with all Dean's favorites for breakfast."What's going on? Is dad picking us up today?" Dean sat heavily in his chair wincing and holding his left side which still hurt a little.  
"No why?" Sam replied smirking.  
"This looks like a condemned mans meal. You know last meal?"  
"Or happy sixteenth birthday?" Sam's smile was huge.  
"Oh, I forgot." Sam plonked a roughly wrapped ,small square box in front of him.  
"Happy Birthday, big brother." He got up and hugged Dean, who lightly pushed him off when he planted a kiss on his cheek.  
"Get off Samantha, you big girl."  
"Yeah, he's too_ old_ for kisses from his little brother now." Bobby laughed.  
"Ha ha ,Bobby you comedian". Dean unwrapped his present like he had never had one before Bobby noticed.  
"Oh man! thanks." Dean enthused looking at the watch Sam had got him. He put it on his wrist straight away and liked the look of it sitting there; it even had a small compass on the band and was water proof. Dean jumped to his foot and limped after his brother. "Ok you can have a kiss for this." He laughed as he chased Sam around the table on one foot.  
"No way man, you said that was for girls." Sam laughed as he ran away from his brother.

Bobby laughed as Dean lost ground on Sam but kept limping along as fast as he could; he looked like he meant business even though he was holding his aching side. Sam tripped over the leg of a chair and went sprawling on the ground,all arms and legs and Dean was there in a second pulling him to his feet then hugging his little brother while he had the chance,Dean saying thanks for the present it was cool. Sam looked pleased and went red and just as Dean was about to turn away for breakfast he turned back and kissed Sam on the cheek, which had Sam running after a laughing, hopping Dean. Bobby put a stop to it after a few minutes when Dean was getting dangerously close to falling ass over and they sat and had breakfast, Sam and Dean breaking into laughter just about every time they looked at each other Dean still rubbing his ribs. Dean was reading out the time every few minutes during breakfast so Bobby finally gave Dean his present from him. A military style bowie knife, a new pair of boots and a stack of comic spent the rest of the day being waited on by Sam and Bobby and reading his new comics.

There was cake at dinner which surprised both boys, they hadn't had a real birthday cake in a long time. Dean and Bobby had a coffee together after dinner watching TV while Sam sat looking through Dean's comics. All in all it had been one of Dean's better birthdays even through he still had his foot in plaster and was still recuperating. Dean found out from Bobby that was why Sam was so quiet, he had managed to get some money from John for a watch for Dean but Sam had wanted Dean to have a better watch, so he did work around the junkyard for a few days to make up the rest. So the day after his birthday, Sam was back to sticking like glue to Dean as he had been before their dad had shown up.

All too soon Dean's plaster was off and their dad was there to pick them up, and true to Dean's prediction, Sam had a fight with him and was grumbling in the back seat before they were even out of Bobby's yard.

The end


End file.
